Partners
by ontheceiling
Summary: Post ATY. Irina starts blackmailing Sydney with a dirty deal, Will makes his decision, and Vaughn's fate is decided. Chapter 13 up!!! REVIEW!
1. The Talk

Partners  
  
A/N~ This is my first posted fan fic, so reviews are necessary! Tell me if you like it, hate it, or have suggestions. I know, right now, it's pretty much exactly the same as all the other post ATY stories out there, but it will get better, I promise! Review! Review! Review! Thanx~ Kate  
  
Chapter 1 The Talk  
  
"Mom?!"  
  
This can't be happening. What was she supposed to say to this woman? If it wasn't for this terrible woman, there would be no circumference, and Vaughn wouldn't be. the thought made her sick.  
  
"Sydney, I didn't want us to have to meet like this," Irina said.  
  
Tears were streaming down Sydney's face. The sound of her mother's voice was making her cringe. She didn't know how much more of this she could take.  
  
"I don't want to keep you too long, so I'll make this short. What I did was for your protection. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't love you,"  
  
Sydney looked at her feet. She couldn't stand to look at her.  
  
"Sydney, you are my daughter. I would never do anything to hurt you,"  
  
Sydney looked up at this pathetic woman and said, "Get to the point,"  
  
Irina sighed in disappointment and said, "I am sorry for what I put you through. No one deserves that," she finished with a weak attempt at a smile.  
  
"You know what?" Sydney began. "You're right. No one deserves that. No one. Do you have any idea what you have done to my life? You destroyed it, as you did many others. I happened to have a very close friend whose father you killed," Sydney's eyes brimmed with tears.  
  
"I want to show you something," Irina turned and left the room. She quickly returned with a television and a VCR being wheeled on a cart behind her by one of her many guards.  
  
Without saying another word, she pressed play on the VCR and turned the TV on. Sydney watched in horror of what she might see. Then, there was a picture on the screen. It was Sydney and Vaughn running towards a slowly closing door. She saw herself get through and try to hold it open for Vaughn, but she failed and the door closed. The camera was on Vaughn's side of the door. She saw his face when he turned to see the water rushing towards him. Then, the screen went blank from the water hitting the camera. Sydney turned away from the screen. Irina motioned to the guard and he obeyed like a dog and wheeled the cart out of the room.  
  
"Naughty, naughty Sydney," Irina said. Sydney just looked at her.  
  
"Falling in love with your CIA handler is very against the rules, you know," she said, obviously amused.  
  
"Your point is?" Sydney was not in the mood for games.  
  
"Well, it's very clear that you have feelings for this man. I have been observing you two for some time now," she smiled.  
  
Sydney just stared at her. How laong has she been 'observing' them?  
  
"No need to worry though. I have kept all of your information to myself. But, just remember, I am willing to give up your little secret if the opportunity shows itself,"  
  
"Are you blackmailing me?" Sydney asked in disbelief.  
  
"You could say that," Irina was really enjoying this.  
  
"What do you want?" Sydney wanted to get this over with.  
  
"I have a few ideas, but I have a flight to catch in a few hours, so I am unable to discuss that right now. We'll be in touch. But, before I leave," She leaned in until she was eye level with Sydney, "you should know one thing. All of the tragedies that have occurred in you adult life were no one's fault but your own," she quickly straightened and turned on her heel to leave.  
  
Before another thought could so much as cross her mind, a guard came in with a syringe and stabbed it into her upper left arm. He injected the liquid and left. Sydney slipped into a deep sleep. 


	2. The Rescue

Disclaimer ~ If I owned Alias, do you really think I would be writing this?  
  
A/N~ Sorry that the first chapter was so short. I just wanted to know if you guys liked it. More this time, I promise. Believe me, this story is going somewhere. I have a plot. Anyway, thanks to the 3 whole reviews I got. I wouldn't be posting so soon if I didn't get those. Thanx ~ Kate  
  
PS ~ Review review review!!!  
  
Chapter 2 The Rescue  
  
Jack cursed under his breath as he turned onto a street with a lot of traffic. Will was sitting beside him in the passenger seat very swollen and probably uncomfortable as hell. The silence was broken by the ringing of Jack's cell phone. He didn't care who it was, he just wanted to know that Sydney was okay. And as for Vaughn. well, he could go either way.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Jack. so nice to talk to you," the familiar cold voice answered.  
  
"Laura?" Jack knew it was her.  
  
"Well, to you, yes. But to others I am known as Irina Derevko. You may have heard that name before," he could hear a cruel smile in her voice.  
  
"What do you want?" He was getting irritated. This woman meant nothing to him anymore, but she was Sydney's mother. That he had no control over.  
  
"I'm calling about your daughter." she let her voice trail off just enough to torture Jack.  
  
"What did you do to Sydney?!" He demanded.  
  
This caught Will's attention and his reporter instincts kicked in instantly.  
  
"What happened to Syd? Where is she?!" Will asked.  
  
Jack covered the receiver and said, "Shut up, and I will find out,"  
  
This silenced Will immediately .  
  
"Tell me, NOW!" Jack yelled. Will thought he was going to explode right there.  
  
"Jack, please, calm down. Do you really think I would hurt Sydney? Our daughter? My own flesh and blood?" Irina was treating him like a child. Jack had had enough.  
  
"Irina," he emphasized, "I know you're heartless, but I don't know how deep that well goes. Now, let's not play games here, shall we? Why did you call me?" Jack was really not in the mood for this.  
  
"I just called to tell you that Sydney is fine, but unconscious. That will make rescuing her a little harder. but we won't get in your way,"  
  
"What are you saying? I can just come over there and get her? You have to be kidding me,"  
  
"I understand your point of view, and believe me, I'm not just letting her go. I've given her something to think about. Don't worry, I'll contact you soon enough," Irina finished and the line went dead.  
  
"Damn it!" Jack was infuriated.  
  
Will looked at jack hopefully. "Well?" he asked. When he got no reply, he tried again. "Jack, is Sydney okay?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Tippin, she's fine," he answered, slightly annoyed.  
  
Then, Jack swerved and took a sharp right turn down a back alley. This turn sent Will sliding around in his seat.  
  
"God, are you trying to kill me?!" Will yelled, aggravated. As if he hadn't been through enough already, he also had to deal with Sydney's dad, who let's just say, isn't exactly a model father figure.  
  
Jack continued down this long alley. It led to a long, deserted road. They drove in silence for about twenty minutes before they could see the outline of a small plane in the distance. When they drove onto the small air strip, Jack brought the car to an abrupt stop and began giving Will instructions.  
  
"Tell the guard by the stairs that you are Will Tippin. If there are any problems, just tell him that you are with Jack Bristow and he is on his way. Can you handle that?" he asked hurriedly.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I think I can handle that," Will replied annoyed.  
  
With that, Will got out of the car and Jack sped away. Will walked over to the guard by the stairs to the plane as directed. The guard looked up at him and studied Will's face. He was bloody and swollen. Definitely a sight to see.  
  
"Name?" the guard asked. He looked like he couldn't have been less interested.  
  
"Uh, Will Tippin," He answered and watched as the guard checked over his clip board. Then, as an after thought, Will added, "I'm with Jack Bristow,"  
  
The guard looked up at him immediately and then stepped aside.  
  
"Thanks," Will said. 'Great. Even guards are afraid of Jack. I'm lucky to be alive.' He thought sarcastically.  
  
Will made his way to the top of the stairs. He pushed apart the curtains that separated the flight attendants compartment and the passenger compartment. He chose a seat on the isle a few rows back so he could see when Sydney got there. He had been up for more than forty-eight hours. Chances that he would be awake when she got there were slim to none. He slowly let his eyes close and tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his mouth.  
  
**************************************************************************** *********  
  
Jack sped away from the plane towards a dense forest. If his memory served him correctly, there was supposed to be a dirt road here that would lead directly to the back of the club where Sydney was. Sure enough, it was there and Jack sped towards it. About fifteen minutes later, the trees began to grow sparse and he was out of the forest. In the distance, he could see the silhouette of a large building. He parked the car and reached over to the glove box. He pulled out a piece of paper and got out of the car. He stood there for a moment and studied the piece of paper; the map of the club. He pulled his gun and ran off to the rear entrance of the building.  
  
He got nearer and could see a small piece of paper taped to the door. He walked up to it and ripped it from the door. It read:  
  
Jack, If you are reading this, you have successfully reached my club. Good work! I am not here at the moment which is too bad. I would have loved to see you again after all these years, but I have a flight to catch in a few hours. You will notice once you go inside that my guards are gone too. I do not need this location any longer so it will be sold to the highest bidder in a few months. You may want to look into that. This building may be useful to you.  
  
Jack shoved the paper into his coat pocket and kicked down the door. He slowly looked around. There were no guards to be seen. He walked down the deserted hallway and saw on the door of the surveillance room was another piece of paper.  
  
Jack, As you may already know, this is the surveillance room. Here you will find security cameras to show you where Sydney is. She is no longer handcuffed to her chair. I felt it would be better for you if she wasn't.  
  
  
  
Jack put this paper in his pocket as well and continued into the room. When he entered, he saw a wall of monitors. Ho began scanning them for any sign of Sydney and Vaughn. For all he knew, this could all be one big set up. About fifteen monitors into his search, he saw a hallway. It was deserted other than what looked like a person lying on the floor. He was wearing a long black leather jacket that looked like it had seen better days. The person looked tall, about six feet. He had broad shoulders and short hair. There was no doubting who this person was. He looked at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen where he noticed a set of numbers; 153-727. He quickly looked at the map and noticed similar numbers by rooms and hallways. He grabbed a pen from a nearby desk and wrote down the numbers to the hallway Vaughn was in. He continued scanning the monitors for Sydney. Finally, he came to a screen with a woman lying on a bed, undoubtedly unconscious. He glanced at the corner of that screen and wrote down the numbers of her room; 153-951. Jack then quickly traced his route on the map. First, he would go to Vaughn and then he would go to Sydney.  
  
Jack quickly left the room and headed down the hallway. He came to a hallway that had puddles of water everywhere. Turning right at the end of that hallway, Jack saw Vaughn lying on the floor. Praying that he was just unconscious, he cautiously walked over to Vaughn and kneeled down beside him. Jack turned him over onto his back.  
  
Just as Jack did this, Vaughn began to cough. Vaughn looked up at Jack and asked, "Where's Sydney?" in a rather raspy voice.  
  
"We're going there next," Jack helped Vaughn to his feet. Jack led the way down the hallway towards Sydney's room.  
  
They got to the door and, once again, there was a note on the door. Jack pulled it off and read it.  
  
Jack, You have reached Sydney's room. I'm sure that by now you have discovered the fate of lover boy. So sad, really it is. Sydney seemed to express certain emotions towards this man. It is a shame that he had to go that way, and right before Sydney's eyes. She had dealt with death before, but to be in love with a man that was killed because of your actions must be difficult. I am aware of the deaths of Daniel Hecht and Noah Hicks, but I feel that this was different. I have known for sometime about the meetings in the warehouse and have been intrigued to know more about this man. He seemed to be Sydney's confidant. Someone she could trust. I am deeply sorry that she had to lose such a close friend. On a lighter note, I am greatly thankful for the document on the Circumference. Please tell Mr. Tippin that I am sorry about the pain inflicted upon him. I didn't mean for the situation to take that road so quickly, but the information was greatly needed. That specific operation was not run by myself, but by a Mr. Sark. He is compassionate about his work, but not as patient as I would like. In the room, you will find an envelope. Enclosed are documents to be seen by Sydney's eyes only. I am sure that you will respect these boundaries. Until we speak again.  
  
~Irina Derevko  
  
Jack crammed the note into his pocket and kicked the door in. Jack stood back as Vaughn rushed in to Sydney's side. He watched as Vaughn knelt down beside her. He was acting as if nothing had happened. As if he hadn't almost been killed. Vaughn softly brushed hair out of her face and touched her lip where the blood was. Jack swiftly moved into the room and picked up the envelope that was on the table as Irina had promised. Vaughn scooped Sydney up into his arms and held her close to him. Jack nodded to Vaughn and with one last look at the room, they left.  
  
Vaughn followed Jack the entire way to the car in silence. When they did get to the car, Jack opened the back door for Vaughn and Sydney. Vaughn slid into the back and held Sydney to his chest. He watched her the entire way to the plane. She looked so peaceful. All he wanted was for her to wake up. He wanted to look into her beautiful brown eyes again. When he was trapped behind that door, he just looked at Sydney. Taking in her every feature. That's when he knew--- if it was his time, he was ready. The last thing he would ever see was the most beautiful , smart, caring woman he had ever laid eyes on, and that was what he wanted.  
  
They pulled onto the air strip. Jack got out and opened Vaughn's door. He got out and followed Jack to the guard that was standing in front of the stairs to the plane. He heard Jack say their names and allowed Vaughn and Sydney to go up to the plane.  
  
Vaughn got to the top of the stairs and entered the passenger's compartment. That's when he saw him. A man who Vaughn assumed to be Will was standing in front of him, bloody, swollen, and rather unhappy looking.  
  
"What did you do to Syd?!" he demanded.  
  
"I didn't do anything to Sydney. I-" He was cut off by Will.  
  
"Who are you?!" He asked, annoyed.  
  
"I'm Michael Vaughn. I'm Sydney's CIA case handler. I look after Sydney for a living. She is my responsibility and I wouldn't ever let anything happen to her. Without me she would be dead right now. Any more questions?" Vaughn asked, irritated.  
  
When Vaughn got no answer from a slightly scared Will, he placed Sydney down on a chair.  
  
"You should stay with her. Someone should be here when she wakes up," he said, trying not to let his irritation show.  
  
Will nodded and sat down beside her. Vaughn got off the plane in search of Jack. He found him standing by his car. He was reading a piece of paper that looked like the one they had found on the door of Sydney's room. When Vaughn walked up to him, Jack hurriedly put the paper in his pocket.  
  
They stood together in silence for a moment before Vaughn spoke.  
  
"That Will is a piece of work,"  
  
"Did he give you any trouble?"  
  
"He started asking me a million questions like it was twenty questions or something. He is really over protective,"  
  
"What did you tell him?" Jack asked, looking out at the plane.  
  
"I told him the truth. That I'm Sydney's CIA handler and she's my responsibility. That she'd be dead without me. He seemed pretty taken aback by that," Vaughn added.  
  
There was a silence and Jack broke it.  
  
"You're probably going to be removed as Sydney's case handler," he was still looking out tat he plane.  
  
"Yeah," Vaughn looked down at his feet, "I know,"  
  
"Vaughn," Jack looked up at him, "I will do everything in my power to stop that from happening,"  
  
Vaughn looked up at Jack questioningly.  
  
Jack answered his look. "Sydney needs you. You don't need to be a psychic to see that she can't get through this without you. You've done more than your job to help Sydney. Others may say that you are too emotionally attached to my daughter, but I disagree. You are doing your job, and you are damn good at it,"  
  
Before Vaughn could say anything, Jack quickly added, "Our flight is in about twenty minutes. I suggest you find a seat on the plane,"  
  
Vaughn just nodded and walked towards the plane. **************************************************************************** *********  
  
Sydney felt a dull throbbing pain in her upper arm. Her eyes slowly opened and were greeted by a bright light. She looked around and saw Will sitting next to her; fast asleep. She sighed and looked at him. He looked awful. It looked like he had been on a one way trip to hell but scalped tickets home. His face around his mouth was really puffy, swollen and red. He had a black eye in his left eye and there was blood all over him. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to get back to sleep.  
  
A few minutes later she heard someone get on the plane. She didn't even bother to open her eyes. Sydney knew there was going to be the nagging hope in the back of her mind that it would be Vaughn but she didn't want to put herself through the agony of the real world. **************************************************************************** *********  
  
Vaughn walked up the steps of the plane and looked at Sydney. She was still asleep, and Will was too. He let himself fall into the chair and he closed his eyes. He desperately needed sleep. **************************************************************************** *********  
  
Sydney finally gave up on sleeping and stubbornly opened her eyes. She glanced around the plane and noticed one other person. She could only see a little of him. He was wearing a long black leather jacket. Almost exactly like the one Vaughn had been wearing. Her stomach did a cartwheel. He had broad shoulders and dirty blonde hair. She wanted to scream but nothing would come out. She slowly got out of her seat and began to walk towards him. **************************************************************************** *********  
  
Vaughn opened his eyes, surrendering. There was no way he could get to sleep. Not under these circumstances. Then he realized that he probably looked like crap. He got up to go to the bathroom and found himself face to face with Sydney. **************************************************************************** *********  
  
~A/N~ Okay guys, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I originally wrote this part completely different. I added a lot of stuff. There is a surprise coming up later. I mean, a lot later. I have the main idea down, but I haven't gotten all of the kinks worked out yet. So, let me know what you think. I look forward to your reviews! Remember, reviews keep the chapters coming! Thanx~ Kate 


	3. The Reunion

A/N ~ All right everybody! This one's kinda short, but more to come. I've got a lot of ideas, but they aren't even on paper yet, much less a computer screen. So, keep the reviews coming and I may feel like writing more. ( ( Kate  
  
Chapter 3 The Reunion  
  
She gasped when she realized who was standing before her. Sydney felt the tears rush to her eyes, and she let them come. She brought her hands up and softly placed them on Vaughn's chest. She wanted to know he was real. She watched her hands move slowly from his chest to his shoulders. Her eyes moved from his shoulders to his eyes, taking in all of his features.  
  
"Vaughn," she whispered. "You're real." A tear fell to her cheek.  
  
"Yeah," he smiled. "I like to think I am," he laughed and softly wiped the tear away.  
  
"I missed you," she smiled and held his hand to her neck. " I thought I'd never see you again."  
  
Vaughn sat her down in a chair next to him and took her hands in his.  
  
"I was so stupid. How could I let you come? I was so mad. I didn't do anything. I could've---" she broke down and began to cry uncontrollably. Vaughn took her into his arms and whispered into her ear,  
  
"Sydney, you did everything you could. It doesn't matter now. You're okay, --- that's all that matters,"  
  
Sydney pulled back and looked into Vaughn's eyes.  
  
"I can't do this without you. If Devlin removes you as my handler, I'm out. I won't do it anymore," she said, very sure of herself.  
  
"Sydney, you can't just quit like that. It doesn't work that way," he tried to be as calming as he could, but none the less, the words came out harsh.  
  
"You are what keeps me going. I can't and I won't do it without you," Sydney finished.  
  
Vaughn knew there was no arguing with her. What she wanted, she got. Case closed.  
  
"Okay. I'll do what I can, but that's not much. I think Devlin's pretty much had all that he can take of me," he broke into a smile.  
  
"Why do you say that?" she laughed.  
  
"Well, I haven't exactly been following all the rules since you came around," He laughed and looked down at their intertwined hands.  
  
Sydney smiled and it grew quiet.  
  
"Tell me what happened," he said, sounding more like a question than a statement.  
  
Sydney looked up at him questioningly, searching his eyes. All she could find was compassion and understanding.  
  
"I--- it was nothing," she looked down at their hands.  
  
"Sydney, I know your mother was there. What happened? You know you can tell me," he gave her hand a light squeeze.  
  
"Yeah-----I know," she paused and lightly rubbed his hand. "It was everything I expected it to be. She was cold, heartless,---- like she didn't care," she couldn't bear to look in his eyes. She paused, " She knows about the meetings," she looked up at Vaughn  
  
He looked at her, concern flooding his eyes. If she knew about the meetings, it was over. He doubted Irina would be very hesitant in giving the information to anyone who asked.  
  
"She said she would give up the information if the opportunity presented itself. Vaughn," she looked up at him, " my own mother is blackmailing me," she said in disbelief, like she was still trying to get herself to believe it.  
  
"Sydney, your father has something for you. He wanted you to see it as soon as you woke up. It's from your mother. We found it in the room that you were being held in. She said that it was strictly for your eyes and your eyes alone," Vaughn didn't want it to, but the conversation was moving to strictly business.  
  
"I don't even want to think about any of that right now," she shook her head. "My father wants me to worry about work after all that's happened? I see my mother for the first time in close to thirty years and she makes me watch a tape of my best friend almost drown because of what I did. Then she tells me that everything that has happened to me was my fault. That horrible woman ruined my life once, and now she wants to do it again. I just don't want to deal with the whole 'saving the world one mission at a time' part of my life right now. I just want to sit here with you and continue to try to make myself believe that I am a normal, bland, uninteresting person," she finished, sounding as if she had convinced herself that what she said made sense.  
  
"Why would you want the life of a normal, bland, uninteresting person?" Vaughn questioned. "Sydney, I am that person. Everything about my life is boring, besides the fact that once in a while I get to throw myself in the line of fire for a very not bland, exciting, caring woman who is everything but boring. The only interesting thing about my life is you," She looked into his eyes.  
  
"How do you always know the right thing to say?" Sydney asked, quietly.  
  
"I don't know. I guess it's my hidden talent. I mean, it must have been hidden pretty well because even I didn't know I had it. I was just telling the truth," Vaughn answered truthfully.  
  
It grew silent and they both knew what was going to happen.  
  
"Michael," she whispered. She felt him tense and he quickly looked up ate her. Sydney was still staring at their hands.  
  
"Kiss me, please?" she asked, meekly. She slowly brought her eyes to his and they drew nearer. Slowly, their eyes dipped shut and their lips touched. At that moment, the world disappeared around them. Sydney felt as if with this simple action, she had opened up to him. Her soul was and open book for his eyes only. It was the most perfect moment of her life. She didn't care about SD-6, the CIA, her mother, school--- none of it.  
  
They separated and looked at one another. They were speechless. Then, without warning, their lips came crashing back together and the kiss exploded in passion. Sydney's hands were grabbing at Vaughn's jacket when they heard someone clear their throat. They reluctantly pulled apart and saw a surprised Will.  
  
  
  
A/N~ Okay guys, I know this one was short, but it felt like a good place to end for now. I have more coming. I might even post the next chapter tonight, but I don't know yet. It depends on what my mind comes up with. Remember, Reviews=Chapters!!! ( 


	4. The Interruption

A/N~ Okeedokee guys. I got a lot of positive feedback about the last chapters, so I must be doing something right. Anyway, thank you times ten to the reviews and reviewers. They helped me out a lot. Well, I hope you guys like this chapter. It should be entertaining. I hope. Thanx~ Kate  
  
Chapter 4 The Interruption  
  
  
  
"What the hell-" Will began angrily, but was cut off by Sydney as she stood up.  
  
"Oh, Will!" she tried to change the subject. "You look awful! I am so sorry! Please, tell me what happened,"  
  
"Not until you tell me what's going on here," Will argued.  
  
"Um, well---" she trailed off and Vaughn stood up. "This is Michael---" Will cut her off.  
  
"Yeah, I know. We've met," he said, enraged. Will gave Vaughn a look of utter disgust.  
  
Sydney couldn't believe the way Will was acting. "Will, we have to talk," she said sternly. "I will only be a minute," she said, smiling to Vaughn. He nodded, and Sydney pulled Will to the back of the plane, roughly. She pulled him around and shoved him into a chair.  
  
"What in the hell is wrong with you?!" she demanded, impatiently. She stared down at him, her eyes on fire with rage.  
  
"I just---" Will couldn't even speak he was so scared. One thing was for sure; now that he knew what she was capable of, he definitely didn't want to piss her off.  
  
"What? You just wanted to stick your dumb ass self in where it didn't belong, that's what. You just had to come over there, didn't you? You didn't think for one second that maybe---. You know what?! You never think! Will, you don't think about anyone but yourself, and I'm sick of it. Did you know that I almost lost that man tonight?!" Sydney's eyes were filling with tears.  
  
Will just looked at her in utter shock. He felt really bad about the way he reacted. He acted like a child, and there was no other way to put it.  
  
"You have no idea what I have gone through with this man. I thought I lost him tonight. Because of me, he was trapped. And I watched! I watched this man die and I could do nothing about it. He came tonight to help me get you back. We traded a very important document for you without asking. This could cost me my job. And because of it, I almost lost that unbelievable man right in front of me," tears were streaming down her face. She sat down on the arm rest on the other side of the isle from Will. She looked up at him and said,  
  
"You have no idea what it's like being in love with some one that you can't have," Will looked down at his hands in his lap.  
  
"Will, a relationship between Vaughn and I could get us killed. But I don't care anymore. I love him. I love him more than you know. More than I know. It's different with him. Different than it was with Danny," she grew quiet, but it didn't bother them. Finally, Will broke the silence in an attempt to apologize.  
  
"Sydney, I didn't mean to act like that. I just--- I don't know. I was stupid and I apologize," he paused, choosing his words carefully. "I didn't know how much he meant to you. When I saw him carry you on the plane, he just--- even with you unconscious, you two looked like you were supposed to be together. You just--- you just looked so right with him. I don't know, I guess I was jealous. I know I was jealous. He will be able to provide you with more than I ever would have been able to," Will finished and looked down. He had just poured his heart out to her and he wasn't sure how she would take it. She would 1) Be completely mortified, slap him in the face, and run into the arms of prince charming 2) Forgive him for what he did and everything would go back to it's somewhat normality or 3) (Which he wanted most) She would forget about the knight in shining armor and come to be with him, her true love, and everybody would be happy (except the knight, of course). But he already knew that his chances with Sydney had been pretty much wiped out since the last time he tried to hit on her. But he could dream, right?  
  
Sydney looked up at Will in awe of what he had just said. "Thank you," was all she could get out. Just then, Jack burst onto the plane.  
  
Sydney stood up immediately and went over to her father. They were quickly joined by Vaughn and Will.  
  
"Emily is dead," he said, in a hushed tone.  
  
"What happened?!" Sydney asked in shock.  
  
"She was poisoned," Jack was still trying to figure all of this out himself.  
  
"Where's Sloane?" Vaughn asked, concerned.  
  
"He's gone. His finger prints are on everything. The wine glass where the poison was found, the bottle of pills in the kitchen---" he trailed off in thought.  
  
"That doesn't prove anything," Sydney shook her head.  
  
"I brought my laptop and I logged into the SD-6 security logs and got into the audio files. I found Sloane's office and downloaded all of the audio recorded in his office from the past week," he paused as if it was painful to continue.  
  
"And did you find anything?" Sydney pushed.  
  
"Yeah, I did," Jack was uncomfortable, which was rare.  
  
"We're not getting anywhere here, dad. What did you find?" she was going easier on him than before. Talking about this bothered him, and she didn't know why.  
  
"The leader of the Alliance came to meet with him a few days ago. He offered Sloane a position as a full partner, but there was a catch. Emily would have to be dealt with. Before she went into remission, the Alliance thought they had her taken care of. There would be no need for drastic measures to be taken. But then, as we all know, she went into remission and she was once again a threat. Basically, the deal was, kill Emily and get the job,"  
  
"Oh my God," Sydney sighed.  
  
"We don't know how long Sloane will be gone, but until he turns up, I will take over his position," Jack said with finality in his voice. "This may be what we need to get rid of SD-6."  
  
  
  
A/N Hey everybody, sorry that this chapter is so short. I was planning on writing more, but the day got away from me, so this is what I've got. Thank you thank you thank you again for all the great reviews! Katie, you are a dork. If you were gonna review, give me something I can work with!! LOL. I can always count on you for criticism on my work, so don't let me down this time!! You know I'm new this!! Anyway, the reviews really help me out a lot. If you have ideas, just send me an e-mail or something, and I'll get back to you. So, I'll keep the chapters coming, don't worry. FF.net is what's keeping me sane (well, sort of) this summer. What I would do without it, I don't know. Thanks again and again~Kate 


	5. The Plan

A/N~ I'm glad that you guys are liking the chapters so far!!! Thanks again and again for the reviews!!! Where would I be without you guys?! Anyhoo, I hope you guys like the chapter, and as usual, if you don't, review and tell me why! :D  
  
  
  
Chapter 5 The Plan  
  
"Well, what do we do now?" Sydney asked, in mid-thought  
  
Finally, this would be at an end. No more lying to her friends, secret meetings, almost getting killed on a daily basis. It will all be over soon.  
  
"Well, as we know, this will be a huge step towards bringing SD-6 down. But Sydney," Jack addressed her and she looked up, "don't think that this will end SD-6 in a matter of weeks. We still don't know when Sloane will be back. Until then, I will be in charge, and the first thing I am going to do is make sure that we get at least one more CIA double in there,"  
  
"Who?" Sydney asked.  
  
Jack turned to Vaughn, and they all looked at him.  
  
"Wait, what? ME? You've got to be kidding!" Vaguhn's mouth was talking faster than he was thinking.  
  
"Dad, he's my CIA handler. Sloane would have a field day!" Sydney exclaimed. There is no way they would be able to pull this off.  
  
"I already called Devlin," Jack announced.  
  
"Oh, God," Vaughn groaned.  
  
"The CIA is, as we speak, running a program to completely erase your CIA background, Mr. Vaughn. From there, we will make your background to include a degree in technology and previous field training at another agency. The finer details will be worked out in LA," Jack finished.  
  
Will was just starting to figure all of this out. "Wait, you mean the Emily I met when we went to dinner?" Will asked in disbelief. "The one that read my story?" Then something hit him.  
  
"Oh, god, my story!" Will said. He hadn't told Jack about the story. "Jack, I wrote a story about SD-6 and told Abby to publish it if anything happened to me and I've been gone for, like three days!" Will yelled.  
  
Without saying a word, Jack pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed a number. The group heard him say:  
  
"I need you to stop the printing press now and destroy all of the already printed papers," the he hung up the phone without another word.  
  
"Taken care of," he simply said. They all let out sighs of relief.  
  
Vaughn considered the plan. "Are you sure this is going to work?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"As long as I'm there it will be smooth sailing," Jack said, confidently.  
  
Sydney sighed and asked Jack, "Is my luggage here?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. It should be," Jack answered. "It should be in the back."  
  
"Oh, thank god. I seriously need to get out this clothes," she said, smiling.  
  
Will hadn't even noticed what she was wearing. He slowly looked her up and down. She was wearing a black bra and a black mesh top over that and tight black leather pants. Luckily, Sydney hadn't seen him give her the once over. He swallowed hard.  
  
Vaughn, realizing that he was still wet and very uncomfortable, added, "Oh, so do I. I hope my luggage is back there too,"  
  
Sydney and Vaughn started to walk to the back of the plane but Will stopped Vaughn. He looked at Will questioningly.  
  
"Can I talk to you?" Will asked, watching Vaughn's reaction closely. Vaughn nodded and Will continued.  
  
"I'm sorry about being such a jackass before. I had no right to react that way. And before, when you came in with Syd, and I got all over protective--- I'm sorry about that too. I tend to do that, especially when it comes to Sydney. We've been friends as long as I can remember. She really loves you," He looked up at Vaughn.  
  
"Will--- thanks," Vaughn couldn't believe Will was being so forward about this.  
  
Enough of this mushy crap Will thought. "Well, I'm sure you want to change out of those wet clothes---" Will quickly changed the subject.  
  
Vaughn nodded and walked to the back of the plane. He opened the door and saw Sydney coming towards him. She was wearing a tan v-neck sweater, faded blue jeans (that were too tight for Vaughn's comfort), and light brown boots. She looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"Hey," she sighed. "Man does it feel good to get out of those clothes," Vaughn laughed. He began pulling clothes out of his suitcase that he had found on a nearby shelf.  
  
"Will apologized," was all he could say. He was still surprised.  
  
"He did? Wow," she couldn't believe that he would open up to a perfect stranger like that. "What did he say?"  
  
"Well, he said he was sorry for being a jackass. He also apologized for before,"  
  
"Before?" There was a before? She thought.  
  
"Yeah. When I brought you onto the plane while you were still unconscious, he got all over protective and started asking me all these questions. He thought I hurt you,"  
  
"Oh, Vaughn, I'm so sorry about him," she stood next to him and rubbed his back.  
  
"Syd, you don't have to apologize. Everything's fine," he looked her in the eyes, and attempted a smile.  
  
She smiled, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and left.  
  
She walked down the isle towards Will and sat next to him.  
  
"I'm proud of you," she said.  
  
"What? Proud of me? Why?" he had no idea what she was talking about.  
  
"Because you apologized," she stated simply.  
  
"How did you---" She was in the back. She couldn't have heard him. unless.  
  
"Spy intuition," she smiled and tapped her temple.  
  
"He told you, didn't he?" it was more of a statement, than a question. He already knew the answer.  
  
"Okay, you got me there," she playfully punched his shoulder. "Me and Vaughn don't keep secrets from each other," she said, sincerely.  
  
Will studied her face. "He's a lucky guy."  
  
A/N~ Hey peeps!!! I hope you liked this one. I was a lot nicer to Will this time and even gave hima few touching moments. What can I say. I can't hold a grudge. Anyway, review, as always. It seems to me that most of you aren't having a hard time with that. But some of you. All you have to do is click on that icon in the bottom left hand corner of your screen to review, type what you thought of the chapter, and click submit. It won't be hard, I promise. Reviews are all I ask, is that so hard to understand? Well, keep em coming, and I'll hold up my end of the deal: Reviews=Chapters :D 


	6. The Story

A/N~ Okay you guys! I m totally writing this from the tips of my finger tips. I have absolutely no idea what is gonna happen, but, I'll figure it out. I had up to chapter five all laid out in my head, and now comes the tough part. I'll see what I can do. This one might not be as long as you would like. Oh, and don't worry, there will be Francie soon!!!  
  
Chapter 6 The Story  
  
Sydney heard a door open and looked towards the sound. It was Vaughn coming out of the back. He was wearing a dark blue button down shirt cuffed up at the sleeves, and black dress slacks. Not formal, but not casual.  
  
She stood up and walked over to him.  
  
"Hey," she sighed.  
  
"Hey. Come on, let's sit down," he guided her to a seat, a few rows up from Will and sat her down. He sat down next to her and put this arm around her.  
  
"You know you're going to have to read that letter sooner or later," he said, quietly.  
  
She rested her head on his shoulder. "I know. But not now, okay? I just want to sit and relax. It's a long flight. I promise I'll read it before we get to LA,"  
  
They sat like that for a while until Sydney realized that Francie would be going insane with worry right now.  
  
"Oh God!" she sat up.  
  
"Sydney, what is it?" Vaughn asked, worried.  
  
"I have to call Francie. She is probably beside herself with worry. If I don't, I'll never hear the end of it. I'll go use my dad's cell," she said, getting up.  
  
"Okay. Oh, and get that letter while you're there," he told her.  
  
"Okay, okay," she answered, moving towards the fight attendants compartment where her father was.  
  
She parted the drapes and saw him sitting there, his head in his hands. When she came in and closed the drapes, he sat up immediately.  
  
"Dad, are you okay?" she asked, concerned.  
  
"Yes, Sydney, I'm fine. What is it you need?" he sighed.  
  
"Oh, I need to use your cell phone. If I don't call Francie she will kill me," Sydney smiled. "Oh, and Vaughn told me that you have a letter for me from mo.. I mean Irina," she couldn't bring herself to call her mom.  
  
As if he was just realizing it himself, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope and his cell phone.  
  
He handed it over to Sydney and she said, "Thanks. Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yes, Sydney, I'm fine. I just need some sleep. Dealing with Mr. Tippin is exhausting, you know," he smiled, then got up and left, to give her some privacy.  
  
Sydney looked at the envelope. It was slightly crumpled from being in her father's pocket, but she didn't mind. She flipped it over several times, debating weather or not to open it now. Vaughn told her that her mother said that it was for her eyes and her eyes only. She studied the envelope. There were no unnecessary lumps in it so she could be relatively sure that it wouldn't explode when she opened it or emit some kind of toxic gas. She decided against opening it and called Francie. It rang once before she heard her friends voice.  
  
"Hello?" she asked, shakily.  
  
"Francie, it's me," that was all she needed to say.  
  
"Syd? Where are you? What happened? Why didn't you call?" Francie was asking question after question.  
  
"I'm actually on a plane now about to take off. I should be home some time tonight. My flight got really delayed. I'm so sorry I didn't call but I couldn't use my cell phone in the part of the airport I was in, and--- It was a mess. What time is it there?" Sydney was so used to telling lies, that it was second nature to her. All she needed now was an excuse for Will, because that's what was coming next.  
  
"Oh, it's four in the morning," she said, dissmissively.  
  
"Oh, hon., I'm so sorry. Did I wake you up?" When ever Francie worried, sleeping was out the window.  
  
"Are you kidding me? Of course I was awake! I thought you knew me better than that," she said, jokingly.  
  
Sydney laughed and sighed and Francie added, as if as an after thought, "Hey, do you know where Will is? He's been gone for a while and he's not answering any of my calls," she sound worried, but she knew that I was probably nothing out of the ordinary. Probably locked up in his house trying to finish a story that was due two weeks ago.  
  
"Oh he didn't tell you?" Sydney was buying time.  
  
"Obviously not, Syd,"  
  
"Oh, well, he went to Chicago to work on an undercover story. Very controversial. He made a deal with his boss, that if he came back in five days with this story, that he promised would kick major ass, he wouldn't get fired. We all know what thin ice Will is on with his boss. No one was supposed to know about it. I only know about it because he was typing it on his laptop one day and I read it over his shoulder and started asking a lot of questions. Give him a taste of his own medicine," Sydney hoped this would work. No, she didn't hope, she prayed. She had never had to make a lie like that to cover one of her own best friend's asses before. Now, she had to tell Will this story, and hope that he could tell a good lie.  
  
"Oh. What was it about?" Francie loved being nosey, especially when it came to Will.  
  
"I think it was about government. Something about voting scandals," Sydney knew this would get Francie uninterested. She hated government, politics, and anything that had to do with the running of the country. In her words, politics were all 'Really old guys with sticks up their asses trying to make laws to tell people what to do so they could get a nice paycheck every month'.  
  
"Oh," she said, uninterested. "I don't know if anything in the world could possibly be more boring, but what ever. Whatever keeps Will his job, because without a job, he would be at our place all the time. I mean, more than he is now, and that is a scary thought. You'd think he'd have better things to do with his time than hang around with a very professional banker and an immature pre teen like me," she laughed. Francie always made fun of herself to get a laugh out of Sydney. Sadly, it worked every time.  
  
"Francie, you are insane," Sydney said, laughing to herself. She loved being able to talk to her friends, even though she always had to watch what she said in front of them, knowing it could get them killed. All the same, it was always fun with Francie.  
  
"Insane, no. Interesting, yes," Sydney could hear the smile in her voice. She hated making her friends worry like this, but her life came with consequences and perks. Too bad there were more consequences than anything else.  
  
"I'm sorry Fran, I have to go. The fight attendant is giving me an evil look. I don't think I'm supposed to be on the phone. I'll see you later,"  
  
"Okay, hon. Bye,"  
  
"Bye,"  
  
-Click-  
  
She set the phone down on a nearby surface and took the envelope out again. She decided that it was now or never and she slowly opened the envelope.  
  
  
  
A/N~ Okeedokee! I thought that was a good cliff hanger. I'm not very good at the whole typing ahead, so I sit down, type a chapter, and then post. My parents are growing suspicious of what I'm wasting all my time on, but I'll make up an excuse. Anyway, you know the drill. Review review review = chapters chapters chapters. Well, I gotta go. Much luuuuurrrrve~ Kate ( 


	7. The Letter

A/N~ Okay guys, I have a bone to pick with you. Now, some of you are reviewing, and some of you aren't. All I ask is that you tell me good or bad. Is that so hard? I don't care what you say, I just want feedback. That's all I ask!!!! So, please, review! And to those of you that are reviewing, thank you soooo much. You have no idea how helpful it is. Thanx~ Kate  
  
Chapter 7 The Return  
  
Sydney opened the envelope slowly. She pulled out a letter and read it  
  
Sydney, I am terribly sorry about our little meeting. It was very rushed indeed, and I do sincerely wish that it could've been a little more personal and under better circumstances. You may wonder why I am writing this letter and wishing that it be seen by your eyes alone. Well, the reason for that is our little, let's call it a deal shall we? No one must know about this. There is to be one other person that you discuss this with and that is your father. He knows that I have been observing the meetings between you and Mr. Vaughn and he may be helpful. I do hope that our arrangement will help everyone involved. During the next month, you will be doing several favors for me. Not cooperating will cost your exposure as a double agent. Once a week you are to meet with one of my agents discussing what it is that I need you to do that week. You will be getting information for me from the SD-6 classified files, and that is all I ask. I understand that you do not want to do anything against what you believe, and for that, I agree. I can easily promise you that by helping me to get information from SD-6 will only help you in taking them down. How do I benefit, you ask? Well, that is simple, and the end of next month, you will work for me. So, in the end, we all get what we want. SD-6 will be destroyed and you and I will work together. It all fits together. The way we carry this out is quite simple. As I have already informed you, you and one of my agents will meet with once a week in a certain location. This agent will give you the details on what is to be carried out that week and that is all. Now, of course there will be rules and regulations. They are as follows:  
  
1. You are subject to security checks before and after each meeting. 2. All communication devices are prohibited. At the beginning of each meeting you will discard any and all communication devices in your possession. Ex. Cell phones, beepers, ear pieces, and wireless communicators. If any of these things are found in your possession after the meeting, there will be a consequence. 3. You will come alone unless specified to bring someone with you.  
  
4. For now, these are the only things that I ask of you. Until we see each other again, remember, you must not speak a word of this to anyone. I am sure you will follow these rules, for you are a smart girl. After all, you are related to me.  
  
Irina Derevko  
  
Sydney's mouth just hung open. Then without even thinking, she burst into the passenger compartment and said,  
  
"She wants me to work with her!"  
  
Everyone stood up and walked over to her.  
  
"Syd, what are you talking about?" Vaughn tried to calm her down.  
  
"My mother,---- Irina wants we to work with her! She--- At the end of next month---- She will expose me as a double if I don't," Sydney took a deep breath as tears started to fill her eyes.  
  
Jack pulled the letter from Sydney's hand and began to read it. Sydney rested her head on Vaughn's shoulder and he pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back.  
  
"Syd, don't worry. It'll be okay," he whispered into her ear and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She pulled back and gave him a kiss in return.  
  
She wiped her eyes and turned to her father just as he finished reading the letter. He looked up at her and she said,  
  
"What are we going to do? There is no way in hell I am going to work with her," she said with finality in her voice.  
  
"I know Sydney, but there's really noting we can do right now. I'll see what I can do. When we get back to LA, I'll make a couple phone calls to see if I can get any kind of surveillance in there, but it's not likely,"  
  
Sydney just nodded and went back over to the seat she was sitting in with Vaughn before. He came and sat next to her and said,  
  
"Don't worry, Syd. We'll take care of it," she took Vaughn's hand and intertwined their fingers.  
  
The plane engine started and they began to take off. Sydney held Vaughn's hand close to her and slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
Vaughn held her hand softly as she fell asleep. He closed his eyes to try to sleep, but he knew he wouldn't be able to.  
  
The flight was smooth and they didn't have any turbulence. Sydney slept most of the way, but when she woke up, she went over to talk to Will.  
  
She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers.  
  
"Will, Francie was worried about you so I told her that you were working on an undercover story in Chicago. I said it was about a voting scandal. I didn't giver her too many details so it shouldn't be that difficult to get by her," she told him quietly.  
  
Will just nodded and avoided her eyes.  
  
"Will, I love you, and I am so sorry about all of this. I have gone through that and more, so I know that it's no picnic. You didn't deserve any of this and I want you to know that," with that, she got up and went back to her seat and sat down. She leaned over and kissed Vaughn.  
  
He looked at her, confused and she kissed him again.  
  
"I just want to take advantage of this," she said and then held Vaughn's hand the rest of the way back to LA.  
  
  
  
A/N Okay, I am soooo sorry it took me so long to post, but a) I have been really busy and b) I had a serious case of writers block. So, I finally got this chapter out of the exciting organ that is my brain. Enjoy, and remember.. REVIEW!!!! (  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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	8. The Car Ride Home

A/N I am sooooo sorry it has taken me this long to update. I have been really busy. Anyway, I got A LOT of feedback on the last chapter, which I did NOT expect at ALL, so thank you for that. I personally thought that chapter SUCKED, but if you guys like it, that's good enough for me. I have a really good idea for later on in the story, so, please be patient!  
  
  
  
Chapter 8 The Car Ride Home  
  
  
  
The plane landed in LA at 7:30 p.m. When they got their luggage, Sydney walked over to he father and pulled him aside to talk to him.  
  
"Dad, Dixon knows I'm a double. I need you to call him and explain what's going on," Sydney demanded.  
  
"Sydney, what---" Jack began.  
  
"Dad, I can't explain now. I just need you to do this. Please," she asked him quickly.  
  
"Yes Sydney. I'll talk to him," Jack said confidently.  
  
"Thank you," she said and left.  
  
Sydney walked towards her car in the busy airport parking lot and noticed a small piece of paper taped to the driver's seat window. She reached her car and read the paper.  
  
The warehouse. Friday. Three o clock.  
  
Sydney pulled the paper off the window and crammed it into her pocket. She climbed into her car and closed the door. She looked out her window at the sky. It was dark gray with large dark clouds swirling above her.  
  
Great. It's going to rain. That's all I need right now. She thought sarcastically.  
  
Sure enough, a few lonely raindrops fell on her windshield. They were soon followed by many others. Before she knew it, it was pouring. The crack of lightening filled the sky. Sydney sat listening to the rain drops pounding on the roof of her car. Letting the sounds surround her as she thought. Just as her thoughts began to deepen, she heard a pounding on her window. She was broken out of her reverie and turned to see who it was.  
  
She started the car and rolled down her window to see a completely soaked Will. He smiled at her weakly and she said,  
  
"What are you doing still standing out there? Get in the car before you catch pneumonia!" she joked and rolled up the window. Will made his way around the car rather hurriedly and climbed in the passenger seat. They sat in silence as Sydney pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway. They were brought to a standstill because of heavy traffic.  
  
"I'm really sorry about your mom, Syd," Will finally broke the silence.  
  
She turned to him. "Oh, no. Don't be sorry. Really, don't worry about it," she dismissed it.  
  
It grew silent again and Sydney said, "I called Francie,"  
  
"Oh, you did? I bet she let you have it," Will laughed, looking strait ahead.  
  
"Not as bad as you might think," she smiled, looking down at the steering wheel. "She was really worried about you," the smile faded from her face.  
  
"What did you tell her happened?" he asked.  
  
"I told her that you were working on an undercover story in Chicago about a voting scandal. You know Francie. Once she heard that it was about politics, she became very uninterested," Will just nodded.  
  
"I also told her that you will be there for a few more days. I'm sure the CIA has a lot to talk to you about," she put the car in park and folded her hands in her lap.  
  
"Will, you have no idea how dangerous this life is," she shook her head.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I think I do," Will said sarcastically.  
  
"No, Will, you don't. You think watching one James Bond movie brings you up to date? Since you had to write that story, your life is know in danger. Hell, your life was in danger before you even started it. SD-6 has more power than you'll ever know," she looked up at him and he met her gaze.  
  
"You now have two choices; recruitment or the Witness Protection Program," Will stared at her blankly.  
  
The traffic began to move and they drove the rest of the way in silence. An hour later they found themselves parked in front of CIA headquarters.  
  
Before Will got out of the car, Sydney said, "Will, I've lost too many people already. Please, just do what you think is right," She watched as he got out of the car and walked into the building, without looking back.  
  
Tears fell silently down her face as she drove off.  
  
  
  
A/N Okay, I know it was kinda short, but I am hoping that I will get the chance to update soon. Thank you soooooo much for all of the reviews and keep 'em coming!! ~Kate =) 


	9. The Decision

A/N Okay, I kinda messed up that last chapter, but I fixed it. Some of you might have caught it, and if you did. CONGRATS!! Sorry, I don't have I prize for you. Anyway, I am in the mood for typing, so I hope this chapter is a long one.. if I get an idea of what to write... I hope...  
  
Chapter 9 The Decision  
  
Will opened the door and stepped into the Central Intelligence Agency. He began walking towards the front desk but was stopped short by hearing his name being called out. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man walking towards him. He had never seen him before. The man was tall with dark hair and was wearing a suit.  
  
Who in this place isn't wearing a suit? Will thought sarcastically.  
  
The man walked over to him and out stretched his hand.  
  
"My name is Agent Wiess," the man said.  
  
"Will Tippin," he replied, shaking the man's hand.  
  
"Come with me," Wiess said.  
  
Will cautiously followed the man onto an elevator and led him to a room that looked like a hospital waiting room but had tables and chairs set up everywhere. On the walls were cork boards with things all over them. Newspaper clippings, pictures, plastic bags marked 'Evidence', note cards, film negatives, ---- you name it, it was up there. There must have been twenty people in there either typing on laptops that they had brought in there or they were adding more things to the walls or cork boards. It was pure pandemonium.  
  
Wiess noticed Will surveying the room and said, "This room is dedicated to Agent Bristow's case. The things you see on the walls are things she has either recovered on her missions or information we have received during the duration of her case,"  
  
"How long? How long has she been doing this?" Will asked, still looking around the room.  
  
"She has been working for SD-6 for the past seven years. She came to the CIA just last year after Danny was killed," Wiess looked down at the floor.  
  
"So you're telling me that you have gotten all of this," Will said, gesturing to the walls, "In a years time?"  
  
"Yes, we have," Wiess replied.  
  
Will just nodded and Wiess said, "Come with me,"  
  
Will took one last look at the work Sydney was doing and then turned to leave.  
  
Wiess lead Will to Vaughn's office and said, "Here, take a seat. This is Agent Vaughn's office. He's Sydney's-----" Will cut him off.  
  
"Yeah. We've met,"  
  
Wiess gave him a confused look but Will didn't see it. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk and looked up at Wiess.  
  
"Is there a reason why I'm here?" He asked, annoyed.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I'm gonna go get Vaughn. Wait here. I'll be right back," Wiess quickly exited the room. **************************************************************************** ************************************  
  
Sydney was about ten minutes away from home when she turned around and drove back to CIA headquarters. She parked about a block away from the building and walked the rest of the way.  
  
Sydney slowly pushed open the glass doors and walked across the hard marble floor to the elevator. She was going up to Vaughn's floor to try to find Will. The elevator doors slowly opened and she stepped out. She slowly scanned the faces of her 'co-workers' for anyone that might know where Vaughn or Will was. She didn't see anyone she recognized so she started walking towards Vaughn's office when someone put their hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Vaughn with a confused look on his face.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he hissed.  
  
"Well I just-----" he cut her off.  
  
"Wait. Come here," he said and pulled her off towards an empty room and closed the blinds.  
  
"You know you can't be here," he sighed and looked down.  
  
"I know, but I had to talk to Will. We had a fight in the car and I.. I just needed to talk to him. Do you know where he is?" **************************************************************************** ************************************  
  
Wiess left Vaughn's office just to see Vaughn pulling Sydney off to an empty room and closing the blinds.  
  
What the hell is she doing here? He thought.  
  
They left the door open just enough to see what they were doing. Wiess watched and listened as they spoke.  
  
If Vaughn found out that he had listened in on their conversation, he would be dead and buried. **************************************************************************** ************************************  
  
"Vaughn, I told Will that he had two choices. Either recruitment or the Witness Protection Program," She looked down at the floor.  
  
Vaughn sighed and asked, "Did he say anything?" he looked up at her.  
  
"No. He was pretty mad at me," she shook her head and looked up at Vaughn.  
  
"Vaughn, I can't live with him in this life. If something happened to him, ----- I don't know what I'd do," a lone tear fell down her cheek.  
  
He mover forward and wiped the tear from her cheek. Sydney took his hand in hers.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll talk to him. I mean, I don't know how much good that will do after what happened. He may already have his mind set, but I'll see what I can do," his words were soothing to her.  
  
Sydney nodded and gave his hand a kiss.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
  
"Okay, well I have to go. I have a meeting with Devlin in ten minutes," at this she looked up at him.  
  
"Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. I'll talk to Will. Now, you need to go home and get some rest, okay? I'll call you later,"  
  
Vaughn smiled at her and turned to leave when Sydney's hand grasped his from behind.  
  
"Can you tell Will I'm really sorry about before?" she asked.  
  
"Of course," he said with a smile and watched her leave.  
  
  
  
A/N ~ Okay, this story has been pretty boring in my opinion so far, but it will start to pick up later, I promise! Just remember, the reviews make me write faster, so, review!! Lost of lurrrrve~ Kate 


	10. The Meeting

A/N Okay, I know my updates are getting more and more spread out------ but I have a reason! Well, my friend's B-Day is coming up and part of her present is going to be a fan fic. It has taken me a while to come up with a half descent plot, but it's coming along nicely. She is really bugging me about it and keeps saying she doesn't like surprises, but that's too bad! Anyway, if it turns out too be a bearable fan fic, then I'll post it!  
  
Chapter 10 The Meeting  
  
Vaughn slowly walked out of the empty office and started walking towards his office when he heard,  
  
"What do you think you're doing?"  
  
He quickly spun around to see Wiess standing behind him. The look on his face told Vaughn that he knew something Vaughn didn't want him to know.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked, coldly and continued walking to his office. Wiess grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.  
  
"I'm talking about that little 'meeting' you just had with Sydney," Wiess knew he shouldn't have said anything and just gone straight to Devlin, but he decided to get his Vaughn's side on this first.  
  
"What, are you spying on me now too?" Vaughn asked, genuinely pissed.  
  
"You of all people should know she's not supposed to be here. It could ruin the operation and you could be removed as Sydney's handler," Wiess was yelling now and they had gotten the attention of everyone on their floor.  
  
"I'll see that you do myself," he added, lowering his voice.  
  
"You don't have to. I have a meeting with Devlin in less than ten minutes," the room was silent as their co-workers observed their conversation.  
  
When Vaughn got no reply, he turned and went to his office.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Wiess asked, addressing their 'audience'. "Show's over, go back to work,"  
  
Sitting in his chair, Vaughn closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of nose when he heard someone clear his throat. He looked up to see Will sitting across from him.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Vaughn asked, confused.  
  
"Wiess told me to wait here while he got you," now Will was confused.  
  
Just then, Wiess came into his office and Vaughn repeated his question for him.  
  
"Eric, what is Will doing in my office?" Vaughn was trying to control his rage.  
  
"I brought him here so you could have a discussion regarding the decision he has to make," Wiess was trying to sound as professional as possible.  
  
"Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Devlin assigned you to his case. Am I right?" Vaughn asked sarcastically.  
  
Vaughn looked at Wiess blankly, waiting a reply. When he got none, Vaughn said, "Eric, I believe you can handle this. I have more important things on my mind. So, if you don't mind," Vaughn motioned to the door.  
  
"I just thought that you might want to handle this, knowing how close you are to Agent Bristow," Wiess said coldly.  
  
"Are you that immature? Can you not handle having him sign a few papers?" Vaughn asked.  
  
The two men were arguing like Will wasn't even in the room. Finally, Will couldn't take it anymore. He had to say something.  
  
"I want to go into the Witness Protection Program," he said.  
  
Both of the men stopped and turned to look at Will.  
  
  
  
A/N~ Okay guys, I've got news. Because of my other project, I've decided to only post maybe once or twice a week. I'm sorry about making you guys wait like that, but, after the 20th of September, things should be back to normal. Anyway, till next time.. Kate 


	11. The Signature

A/N Okay, I'm updating. Happy? Sorry about making you guys wait. I've been trying to write a lot of this fic before school starts. Anyway, I don't know what's going to happen in this chapter yet. Basically, it's coming right off my finger tips.  
  
Chapter 11 The Signature  
  
The two men stared at Will blankly.  
  
"So, isn't there stuff I have to sign, or something?" he said, his words starting to sink in.  
  
Vaughn cleared his throat and said, "Witness Protection? Are you sure this is what you want?"  
  
Will knew this was his only choice. He could never be a bad ass CIA man. Will couldn't bear the thought of Sydney losing someone else important in her life.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure," he said.  
  
"I'll go get the papers from Devlin," Wiess said then swiftly left the office.  
  
Vaughn sighed and looked at Will.  
  
"You're sure you want to do this?" Vaughn tried.  
  
"Sydney's been through enough already. I don't want her to constantly worry about me. This is what I have to do," Will answered solemnly.  
  
Vaughn nodded and remembered his meeting with Sydney.  
  
"I just met with Sydney,"  
  
Will's eyes shot up immediately. "Is she here? Can I see her?" Will tried desperately.  
  
"No, she left. She's not supposed to be here," Vaughn looked down.  
  
"Oh," Will said, obviously disappointed.  
  
"She wanted to apologize for your fight. She's been under a lot of stress lately and she didn't mean to snap at you like that. I know what it's like. She doesn't back down easily," Vaughn said, smiling at the memories.  
  
"Yeah, I know," Will said, a slow smile creeping across his face.  
  
Just then, Wiess came into the room holding several sheets of paper. Both men watched as he set them down on the desk inn front of Will.  
  
Wiess handed him a pen.  
  
"All you have to do is sign at the bottom here," Wiess said, pointing to a line at the bottom of the top page.  
  
"I guess this is it," Will said, studying the two men's faces.  
  
Slowly, Will brought the pen to the paper and paused. He couldn't bring himself to do it.  
  
"Wait," Vaughn said.  
  
Will looked up at him, curiously.  
  
Wiess looked at Vaughn, awaiting a response.  
  
"Will," he continued nervously, "why don't you go home for a few hours and really think this over. If you sign this now, you could regret it."  
  
Will exhaled, extremely relieved. "That's a good idea," he put the pen down.  
  
For some reason, Wiess looked disappointed as he picked up the pen and papers and walked out of Vaughn's office.  
  
"Will, I'm really sorry, but I have to go. I'm late for a meeting. I'll see you later," Vaughn said and he walked down the hall towards Devlin's office.  
  
A/N I know the chapters have been getting short, boring, and spread out, but it'll get better.. I hope. Anyway, if you don't feel like reviewing, you can e-mail me at KatKraz55@aol.com. Thanks sooooo much to all of you that are reviewing!! 


	12. The Explanation

A/n Well, this chapter has taken a while to get itself written, but, here it is!!! A lot of questions will be answered in this chapter and the following ones. The situation with Dixon and the first day back at SD-6 should be dealt with. Read and Review!  
  
Chapter 12 The Explanation  
  
Jack waited on the park bench for a half hour after calling Dixon. It was easy to say that he was definitely confused but willing to listen to Jack's explanation.  
  
Jack had partly thought out what he was going to say to Dixon. News like this would not be easy for him to take, but Jack knew that he was a strong man and would discuss this rationally.  
  
He took a deep breath to calm his senses as he saw Dixon walking toward him.  
  
"Start talking," Dixon said as he sat down beside Jack.  
  
"I know you have reasons to doubt Sydney's loyalty, but maybe you should take a step back and look at your own," Dixon looked up at him confusedly.  
  
"You sure don't waste any time, do you?" Dixon asked, surprised at how Jack was cutting to the chase.  
  
"You aren't working for the CIA, Dixon," Jack kept his eyes on the fabric in his pants.  
  
Dixon's eyes widened at Jack's statement. He felt waves of emotion crash over him and tried to read Jack's face for any feelings.  
  
"Sydney and I are both double agents for the CIA. I told Sydney the truth about SD-6 after Danny was killed and that's when she joined. Now I'm asking you to do the same," he finished.  
  
"Wait, Jack," Dixon protested. "You're telling me that I have been working for the enemy and now you just want me to forget all that and join up for the greater good?"  
  
"If you want to get technical, yes," Jack tried to soften to moment to no avail.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me! You've just dropped a bomb shell on my life and you want me to take it lightly?!" Dixon argued, stating the obvious.  
  
"Dixon, I know this isn't easy---"  
  
"Jack, you don't know anything," slowly, he came to a realization about something.  
  
"You wouldn't even be telling me this if I hadn't followed Sydney that night, would you?" he questioned.  
  
When Jack didn't reply, Dixon's anger only grew.  
  
"This is unbelievable!" he was so angry he couldn't continue.  
  
"Dixon, the only reason Sydney didn't tell you sooner is because she couldn't make this kind of decision for you. She couldn't put your family in this kind of danger. When you're a double, your life only becomes more confusing. Don't think for one second that Sydney didn't tell you this because she didn't want to. But, now you know, and the decision is yours," and with that, Jack got up from the park bench.  
  
"When you make a decision, call this number," Jack handed Dixon a business card with a phone number on it.  
  
Jack left the park and a very confused man behind him. **************************************************************************** *********  
  
Vaughn took a deep breath before he knocked on Devlin's door. He did so and heard a muffled 'come in' emerge from the room.  
  
He took another deep breath and slowly opened the door to see Devlin sitting at his desk shuffling through some papers.  
  
Vaughn was standing in the door frame anticipating his fate.  
  
"Agent Vaughn," Devlin said without looking up, "please, sit down."  
  
He carefully moved into the room and closed the door behind him. Cautiously taking a seat in front of his superior, Vaughn awaited his sentence.  
  
A deep sigh escaped Devlin's throat and Vaughn watched as he massaged his temples.  
  
"Agent Vaughn," he began, " you are a very intelligent man, and I have enjoyed working with you,"  
  
Vaughn was contemplating what to say to Devlin to persuade him not to remove him as Sydney's handler. He was thinking of everything he could possibly do, but sometimes, everything wasn't enough.  
  
"But lately," Devlin continued, "I have had reason to question your ability to work the Bristow case. I am fully aware of your history with Sydney and the fact that you two have become friends, but your feelings towards her have begun to compromise your safety. Not to mention the case. Now, I know of Jack Bristow's new role at SD-6, and he has told me of his plans for your position there. I will be the first to tell you that I will back this operation 110%, but when this is over, you're out. You will be relocated to our firm in New York,"  
  
This hit Vaughn hard and he looked down to hide his emotions.  
  
"I am really sorry about this. Try to think of it this way, by the time this operation is over, SD-6 will be finished. Your job will have been complete anyway," Devlin tried to lighten the mood.  
  
Vaughn could only respond by nodding. He slowly got up from his chair and left.  
  
A/N Well, what do you think? I know, I'm evil. Believe me, I've got plans for the future! Now, all you have to do is review so I continue. If I don't get 10, that's right, 10 reviews for this chapter, I won't continue. Plain and simple. I'll work on my other one. So, if you like what you're seeing, then tell me you do! 


	13. The Return

A/N~ Okay, guys. Great job with my goal! You did awesome, and I appreciate you guys taking your time to leave me a review. Thanks a ton! Anyhoo, this chapter will go into the whole 'SD-6' thing. Don't worry, I have plans for the future! Never fear.. Kate is here!!!  
  
Chapter 13 The Return  
  
Sydney stepped onto the elevator and began her journey to sub level 6. It was her first day back after 'The Taipei Incident' and she was unsure of what was going to happen. All she knew was her father was going to be filling in for Sloane and she was going to have her 'meeting' with her mother that Friday.  
  
The elevator doors slowly opened and she casually walked over to her desk. She instantly noticed that Dixon wasn't there yet.  
  
At that moment, her father came over. Before she could even say hello, he said, "Good morning Sydney. Can I have a word with you please?"  
  
"Of course," she nodded and followed him to Sloane's office.  
  
He closed the door behind her as she took a seat and pulled out his pen.  
  
"I talked to Dixon. He's not coming in today," he said calmly.  
  
"Why not? What happened?" she asked, concerned.  
  
"Well, I met with him yesterday and told him everything. He didn't take it very well. He called me this morning saying that he needed a day to think it over,"  
  
"What do you think he'll do?" she asked.  
  
"I honestly don't know, Sydney," he sighed.  
  
"Did he believe you?"  
  
"Not in the beginning. If you two weren't so close, I think he would've reported you already," he said solemnly.  
  
She nodded as she heard the pen begin to beep.  
  
"Well, did you have a good weekend?" he changed the subject.  
  
She put on a fake smile. "Yes, I did. Thank you," she lied. She couldn't remember having a worse weekend in her entire life.  
  
"That's good. I'll see you at the meeting," he concluded.  
  
She nodded and exited the office. She went back to her desk and logged in under her name. When she started on her daily report, she saw him. She knew he would be there that day, but when she saw him, she felt more relaxed.  
  
He walked towards Sloane's office and cautiously knocked on the door. She carefully observed as her father let Vaughn in the room. Vaughn took a seat in front of the desk where her father sat. They began talking about something business related when and she tried to read their lips.  
  
Her concentration was broken by Marshall standing in her line of view. She looked up at him, embarrassed to be caught starring.  
  
"Uh, good morning Miss Bristow," Marshall said nervously.  
  
"Good morning Marshall," Sydney said with a warm smile.  
  
"So," he said, stepping to one side and gesturing to Sloane's office, "I--- take it you've seen the---uh--- new guy. Do you know him?"  
  
"Oh, no. I haven't met him yet. Have you?"  
  
"No, I---I haven't. I didn't know Sloane was---uh--- looking for someone new," he swallowed.  
  
"Neither did I. I wonder what's so good about him," she answered vaguely.  
  
Just at that moment, Jack and Vaughn came out of Sloane's office and went into the conference room..  
  
"I guess we should be getting to the meeting now," Sydney observed.  
  
She smiled at Marshall and the walked to the conference room together.  
  
They came in and Vaughn turned around from his position at the table to look at Sydney. She entered and took her normal seat at the table. Only this time, it was next to Vaughn. Jack noticed the confused look Marshall gave Vaughn as he sat down across the table from them.  
  
"Marshall, Sydney, this is Michael Vaughn. He is a new field agent here at SD-6," Jack said.  
  
Sydney looked over at him and smiled. "Sydney Bristow," she said, and shook his hand.  
  
He returned the hand shake as Marshall stood up and leaned across the table.  
  
"Marshall Flinkman," he said, extending his hand.  
  
"It's nice to meet you both," Vaughn said, shaking Marshall's hand.  
  
"Well, now that you've met, it's time to get down to business," Jack said as Marshall sat back down.  
  
"Now, Mr. Vaughn, for your first assignment," Jack said, taking out two folders.  
  
"Wait, Dad. Mr. Vaughn has just gotten here. Do you really think you should be sending him on a mission so soon? He should stay here for a few days so he can get familiar with his surroundings and his---"  
  
Jack cut her off. She was getting way too defensive way too fast. "Sydney, he will have plenty of time to familiarize himself when he returns."  
  
Sydney sighed and shook her head. There was never any arguing with her father. It had been that way ever since she was a kid.  
  
"This man," Jack said as a picture came up on the monitors in front of them, "is Frank Azzouni. He is celebrating his 35 birthday in France next week. There will be a party held at his mansion. Sydney, you and Mr. Vaughn will go posing as a couple."  
  
Jack paused to gauge their reaction. They didn't show any emotions towards the mission. He hoped they would be able to control themselves.  
  
A/N~ Okay, well, since the school year is upon us, I will, sadly, only be able to update once every weekend. That, even, depends on what I have to do. Anyway, if you guys we be ever so kind, I would like another ten reviews to bring me up to 75 reviews. Thank you so so so so so much for all of your support. 


	14. The Debriefing

A/N~ Okay guys, I've been waiting for the angry mob to arrive at my front door with pitch forks, and rotten food to throw at me. I know I haven't updated in AGES, and for that, I apologize. The fan fiction I started for my friend made it up to chapter nine, but then, I ran out of time, and I had to got to her party. I will post that one if you want me to. This year has been insanely crazy and I have been to busy to sit down. Well, I've almost forgotten where this thing is going, so I'll be taking it slow the next couple chapters so the info can some back to me. Anyway, in this chap, they'll get briefed on their mission and stuff like that. Here we go.  
  
Chapter 14 The Debriefing  
  
Sydney stared at the monitor in front of her. She couldn't believe that they would be posing as a couple. She tried to clear her head of all her. interesting thoughts and study the picture before her.  
  
It was of a man that looked Italian, not French. His name sounded Italian too. He had tanned skin and dark hair. He was maybe 6'1".  
  
Someone saying her name broke her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Sydney?" her father said.  
  
She looked up at him.  
  
He was just checking to see if she was paying attention. He continued.  
  
"You and Mr. Vaughn will be in France for a week, building up your aliases. Sydney, you are Rebecca White, and Mr. Vaughn, you are Greg White. You both work in real estate and are visiting from New York," he gave them each a black envelope containing the rest of their information.  
  
"What exactly are we going to this party for?" Sydney asked concerned.  
  
"Well, we believe that Mr. Azzouni is in possession of yet another Rimbaldi artifact. This time the artifact is a series of symbols carved into the bottom of a vase in his office," Jack informed the group.  
  
"This is basically and in and out operation, besides the fact that you will be there for a week. On the night of the party, I will fly in to cause your distraction so you can get to the safe. Any questions?" he looked from one agent to the next.  
  
The atmosphere of the room seemed to be tense and confused. This new agent had not been expected to anyone at the office, and Sydney was not looking forward to the rumors that would no doubt begin to circulate once she and Vaughn disappeared for a week.  
  
She took the folder in her hand and looked at her father and then Marshall with a smile.  
  
"Marshall, you will give Vaughn and Sydney the op-tech in your office. But before you do I need to see the two of you," he said looking at Sydney and Vaughn.  
  
Marshall gave the three a nervous smile and quickly exited the conference room. The silence in the room became unbearable and Jack said, "Would you two join me in my office for a moment?"  
  
They got up and followed Jack into Sloane's office. When they sat down, Jack handed them each two more black folders and took our the pen once again.  
  
"This is another assignment you will be completing while you are in France. I cannot give you the details here. All I can tell you is that it involves the Alliance. Your flight leaves in two hours. You should get your op-tech from Marshall now," Jack concluded. Sydney was worried about her father. He was being way more than professional right now. The never-ending concerned look on his face told her that something was bothering him. But she certainly didn't have the time to talk to her father.  
  
She and Vaughn left Sloane's office and walked to Marshall's office. They stopped briefly at Sydney's desk so she could drop off her mission papers.  
  
As they were walking to Marshall's office Vaughn said quietly, "I grew up in France you know."  
  
Sydney looked at him in awe. "No I didn't," she smiled. "You'll have to show me the sights then Mr. White."  
  
"If I can remember," he laughed. The entered Marshall's office and saw him hunched over yet another gadget. Sydney cleared her throat and Marshall spun around in surprise, only Sydney and Vaughn were more surprised. He was wearing huge goggles that practically covered his entire face.  
  
Marshall smiled in embarrassment. "You gotta--- you know--- be safe and all." He ripped off the goggles and put them on his desk.  
  
Ten minutes later they got our of Marshall's office and headed towards Vaughn's desk. His was facing her, but was a few rows in front of her.  
  
Vaughn turned and looked at her. "I'll see you at the airport," he smiled.  
  
"Yeah," she said, looking into his eyes. A week in France. Alone. With Vaughn. So what if they were being different people? Two married people. Two married people that were married to each other. This was definitely going to be a week to remember.  
  
A/N~ Okay, so this was a boring chapter. I know, my whole story line has died and gone down stairs (if you know what I mean!!) I would like to thank you all for being great readers, and reviewing my story, but I hate to admit that I might let this story die a painless death. If you all wouldn't mind, I think I'm gonna give up on it. But if you want me to continue, let me know and I'll do it for you guys!! Thanks!!!! 


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